Hosted by Walter Cronkite, this fragmentary 1950s documentary is about the Chinese Civil War, between the Chinese Nationalist party – the Guomingdang (KMT) and the Chinese Communists (CCP), following the conclusion of WWII, and the war against the Japanese invasion of China, when the two sides were allied against a common enemy. It follows the Chinese Civil War to its conclusion in 1949 with the establishment of the People's Republic of China (the PRC ), and the evacuation of the KMT/ROC to Taiwan. It contains footage of Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Lin Biao, Chang Cun, Chiang Kai-Shek, Gen. Marshall, interviews about the Chinese civil war and the possible future fate of China with U.S. Army Gen. Wedemeyer,  Maj. Gen. Barr, Soong Meiling, and Pearl Buck. 0:08-0:24 Demolished buildings, remains of a “New Pathé" cinema 0:24 Remains of a bank office 0:26  Map of the Republic of China with Beijing (Peiping) and Nanjing (Nanking) marked on it, area held by the CCP are marked with a star and Manchuria, held by the USSR is marked with the Soviet flag. China, August 1945 0:44 Chang Kai-Shek in his Generalissimo uniform, and wife, Soong Meiling, at a rally in Nanjing, reading a speech at a microphone 1:17 Fortified positions of the Chinese Communist Party in Yan'an, Shaanxi province 1:22 Mao Zedong 1:33 Possibly the reading of the Oath for joining the People's Army of the Republic of China 1:44 Communist guerrillas on the march in the countryside 1:45 and 1:55 An ROC soldier 2:08-2:44 Battle footage, Communists vs KMT troops, 2:27 A People's Army (CCP) troop (which is written on his straw hat) firing his automatic rifle, howitzers firing. 2:46 Gen. George C. Marshall lands in Shanghai, 20th of December 1945 2:59 Marshall meets with Chiang Kai-Shek and his staff 3:07-3:36 US Consular residence in Nanjing, General Marshall peace talks with Zhou Enlai, a CCP representative, and Chang Chun, a KMT representative, June 21-23 1946 3:42 The CCP capital of Yan'an,. Visit of Lady Isobel Cripps, British Relief Chairman and her meeting with Mao Zedong in 1946. People in an outdoors classroom. People looking at the 1949 wall newspaper (Dazibao) 4:04 Land reform by the CCP – people berate a former KMT official. Mock execution by firing squad. 4:35 CCP militia-style army – rifles but no uniforms 4:50 KMT regular army clad in German materiel (KMT initially bought materiel and instruction from German advisors) 5:00-5:50 Civil war restarts as Marshall's intervention fails. 6:04 Map of China showing Chiang Kai-Shek's disastrous Northern March into the CCP-held territory. 6:20-6:50 October 1947 - emergence of People's Liberation Army 7:42 KMT General surrenders to the CCP troops. 7:50 KMT prisoners 7:55 Monetary inflation – people bringing bricks of money with them to the shops. CND to USD conversion goes from 1 to 3700 to 1 to 6000000. 8:29 Protests against KMT, US military presence in Republic of China, and against the continued civil war. Women glueing stickers: "US made bombs are killing Chinese people" on a door. Young men are arrested and being led away by the police 8:48 Arrival of the Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer in July 1947, after Gen. Marshall's departure. 9:00 Gen. Wedemeyer and Chiang Kai-Shek 9:22 Mao Zedong and the Communist Central Committee meeting, at Yangchakou, Shaanxi, on December 25th 1947, Zhou Enlai . 9:40-11:00 Battle and troop movement footage. PLA's taking of Suchow, 11:10 Situational plan of the holdings of Chinese civil war sides for late 1948 11:30-12:30 April 20th 1949, PLA crosses the Yangtse river on junks and improvised craft. Unsuccessful KMT artillery barrage. 12:45 PLA taking the Nanjing Presidential Palace, Chiang Kai-Shek's portrait taken down 13:00 Refugees fleeing 13:41 Civil unrest in Shanghai May 1949, KMT police summarily executing a person on the street. People protesting. 14:12 KMT police beating people with truncheons 14:15 Foreign residents of Shanghai leaving, 14:26 Oriental Overseas Line's (later Oriental Overseas Container Line) ship leaving Shanghai. 14:47 PLA taking Shanghai May 14th 1949 15:01 October 1st 1949 – establishment of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong, Lin Biao, Zhou Enlai, Song Qinling (wife of the late Sun Yat-sen) 15:40 Chiang Kai-Shek in Taiwan 16:05 interview with Maj. Gen. David G. Barr (skeptical of Chiang Kai Shek and the KMT forces) 17:40 interviews with Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer (more equanimous view) 19:11 interview with Pearl Buck (writer, daugher of American missionaries, born in China) 20:34 interview with Soong Meiling (Mme Chang Kai-shek) 21:24 Conclusion This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com

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